The Buzz: Halvorson served as a representative for the 11th District from 2009 to 2011, when she was unseated by Adam Kinzinger. Before that she was a member of the Illinois Senate where she served as the first female Majority Leader of the Illinois Senate in 2005. After losing to Kinzinger, she openly expressed her interest to head the Illinois Department of Transportation, but Gov. Pat Quinn decided to appoint someone else. Halvorson has previous experience squaring off with Jesse Jackson Jr. The two went head to head over an airport Jackson wanted near Peotone.